Serial setup device for a calculating,accounting or similar machine



3,504,] 63 SERIAL SETUP DEVICE FOR A CALCULATING, ACCOUNTING March'31, 1970 N.GIOLITTI E L OR SIMILAR MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9. 1967 INVENTORS NICOLO' GIOLITTI ADRIANO ZAMBOLIN BY em March 31, 1970 N. ebum ET AL 3,504,163 SERIAL SETUP DEVICE FOR A CALCULATING, ACCOUNTING OR SIMILAR MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9. 19s? HINVENTORS NICOLO' mourn ADRIANO ZAMBOLIN BY 2 a (EMT March 31, 1970 N.GlOLlTT| ETAL 3,504,163

SERIAL SETUP DEVICE FOR A CALCULATING, ACCOUNTING OR SIMILAR MACHINE .4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 9, 196'? INVENTORS NICOLO' mourn ADRIANO ZAMBOLIN N; GlOLl'TTl ET L SERIAL SETUP DEVICE FOR 'A CALCULATING,

3,504,163 ACCOUNTING March 31, 1970 OR SIMILAR MACHINE .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Odt. 9; 19s? INVEN v 4 i M Fig. 4

TORS Aa'F:&- o 'zsmsam BY W AGENT United States Patent O Italy Filed Oct. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 673,771 Claims priority, application Italy, Oct. 10, 1966, 55,617/ 66 Int. Cl. G06c 7/00, 9/00 U.S. Cl. 235-60 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A serial setup device for accounting machine comprises a storing device provided in each order with a pinion individually settable in a position corresponding to the figure to be set up, and a toothed drum adapted to sequentially assume a position corresponding to the various figures of an amount to be setup under the control of a selecting device. The actuator engages simultaneously all pinions not yet setup so as to locate same in the position corresponding to said last setup figure, whereas the storing device is transversely displaced step by step to disengage the engaged pinion of the highest, order from the actuator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a serial setup device for a calculating, accounting or similar machine, comprising a multiorder storing device provided in each order with a member individually settable in a position corresponding to the figure to be set up, and a single actuator adapted to sequentially assume a position corresponding to the various figures of an amount to be set up.

There are known setting devices of the above mentioned type, wherein an actuator engages one setup member at a time and is restored after setting each figure. Therefore, the actuators and the unset members must be started each time from the rest position, thus getting into wear. Moreover the engagement of the various setup members with the actuator causes a considerable slowing down in the setup operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other disadvantages are obviated by the setup device according to the invention, which is characterized by a selecting device adapted to so locate said actuator and to lock each time said actuator in the position corresponding to the last setup figure, said actuator simultaneously engaging all members of said storing device not yet setup so as to locate said not yet setup members in the position corresponding to said last setup figure, travelling means being provided for mutually transversely displacing said storing device and said actuator step by step to disengage said actuator from the engaged member of the highest order.

This and other characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, and from the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a right hand longitudinal partial view of an accounting machine incorporating a serial setup device, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken according to the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken according to the line IIIIII of FIG. 2;

Patented Mar. 31, 1970 FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI- MENTS OF THE INVENTION With reference to the FIG. 1, the setup device comprises a multiorder storing device provided in each order with a setup member or pinion 12 having a reset cam 28. The pinions 12 are rotatable on a shaft 13 carried on a pair of arms 14 and 16 (FIG. 2) of a bail 11 having a transverse toothed portion 17. The arms 14 and 16 (FIG. 1) are slidable along a pair of prismatic bars 18 and 19 (FIG. 1) secured to the stationary machine frames to bring the pinions 12 in correspondence with a plurality of vertically movable racks 21 adapted to cooperate with a totalizer 15 in a known manner.

The bail 11 is advanced step by step leftwards against the urge of a spring 20 (FIG. 2) upon setting up each order of an amount by a pinion 23 engaging the portion 17. The pinion 23 is secured to a shaft 24 connected to a shaft 26 (FIG. 1) by means of a pair of bevel gears 27. A spring urged locking member 30 (FIG. 2) cooperates with the pinion 23 against the urge of the spring 20.

The setup device comprises a single actuator formed of a toothed drum 29 secured to a shaft 31 rotatably mounted on the machine frame. The drum 2 9 normally engages all pinions 12 (FIG. 2) at right of the racks 21 and therefore all pinions 12 not yet set up. Just at left of the drum 29, a positioning bar 32 (FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) normally engages the setup pinions 12. The bar 32 is secured to a pair of arms 33 fulcrumed on a stationary shaft 35 and is normally urged counterclockwise by a spring 36 (FIG. 3). The bar 32 is adapted to be disengaged from the pinions 12 during an accumulating machine cycle in a manner known per se.

The drum 29 is engaged by a toothed sector 37 (FIG.

1) fulcrumed on a stationary pivot 38. The sector 37 is.

differentially displaced by a motion aggregating selecting device. In accordance with the invention the motion aggregating device accumulates motions each representative of the position of one of a plurality of code members and locates an actuator (drum 29') in a position related to the aggregate of said motions. More particularly, this device comprises four eccentrics 43, 44, 51 and 52 arranged in two groups and individually adapted to be rotated degrees. The first group comprises the eccentrics 43 and 44, the eccentric 44 having an eccentricity twice that of the eccentric '43-. This latter is integral with a shaft 46 rotatable on two stationary flanks 47 (FIG. 2) of the machine frame. The eccentric 44 (-FIG. 1) is rotatable on the eccentric 43 and is embraced by a ring 45 of a connecting rod 48. This rod is fulcrumed on a first pivot 49 on a two armed swing lever 42 fulcrumed on a pivot 41 of the sector 37. The second group of eccentrics comprises the eccentrics 51 and 52, which are identical to the eccentrics 4.3 and 44 respectively. The eccentric 51 is integral with a shaft 53 rotatable on the flanks 47, whereas the eccentric 52 is rotatable on the eccentric 51 and is embraced by a ring 50 of a connecting rod 54. This latter is fulcrumed on a second pivot 55 of the swing lever 42. The ratio between the distance of the pivot 55 from the pivot 41 and the distance of the pivot 49 from the pivot 41 is 1;4. Therefore the eccentrics 43 and 44, 51 and 52 through the swing lever 42 cause the sector 37 to effect strokes corresponding respectively to 1, 2, 4, 8 steps of the drum 29.

'Each eccentric 43, 44, 51 and 52 is adapted to be rotated 180 degrees by a corresponding selecting clutch substantially of the type described in the U.S. Patent No. 3,260,128 of July 12, 1966'. Particularly, each eccentric 43 and 51 is rotated by a corresponding clutch, generically indicated by the numeral 56 (FIG. 4), comprising a driven part 58 provided with a mutilated pinion 59 having a pair of diametrically opposite portions 61 (FIG. 1) deprived of teeth. The part 58 is also provided with a sleeve 62 (FIG. 2) and is bodily rotatable with the shaft 46, and 53 respectively, and axially slidable thereon, whereby the pinions 59 of the clutches 56 are bodily rotatable also with the eccentrics 43 and 51 respectively. The sleeve 62 is provided with a pair of starting elements or teeth 63 and 64 (FIG. 1) located in correspondence with the portions 61 of the pinions 59 and axially mutually offset.

Similarly each eccentric 44 and 52 is rotated by a corresponding clutch 57 (FIG. 2) comprising a driven part 66 having a mutilated pinion 59 (FIG. 1) and a pair of starting teeth 63 and 64 (FIG. 2) identical to those of the driven part 58 of the clutches 56. Each driven part 66 is bodily rotatable with a hub 68 coaxial with the shafts 46 and 53 respectively and axially slidable along the hub 68. Each part 66 is also provided with a sleeve 67 secured to a crank lever 69. Each lever 69 is provided with a pin 71 engaging a slot 72 (FIG. 1) of the eccentrics 44 and 52 respectively, which are thus bodily rotatable with driven parts 66 of the clutches 57. However the slot 72 and the pin 71 allow a relative radial displacement between the eccentrics 44, 52 and the driven parts 66. The clutches 56 and the clutches 57 comprise also a driving part 73 common to each pair thereof and secured to a shaft 74 (FIG. 1) continuously rotating counterclockwise in a manner known per se. Each driving part 73 (FIG. '2) comprises a pinion 76 adapted to engage the toothed portion of the pinions 59 and having a thickness greater than the pinions 59. The pinion 76 is integral with a drum 77 secured to the shaft 74, and is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite and coplanar counterelements or teeth 78 for simultaneously starting the rotation of the driven parts 58, 66 of the clutches 56, 57. Each sleeve 62 is provided with a groove 79 engaged by a lug 81 (FIG. 4) of a lever 82 fulcrumed on a stationary pivot 83. Similarly each sleeve 67 is provided with a groove 84 engaged by a lug 86 of a lever 87 fulcrumed on a stationary pivot 88. The levers 82 and 87 are connected to a group of four slides 89, individually connected to four tiltable permutative code bars 93.

Moreover the setup device is provided with an additional clutch 94, comprising a driven part 96 and a driving part 95. The part 95 is similar to the driving part 73 of the clutches 56 and 57 (FIG. 2) and is secured to the shaft 74. The driven part 96 of the clutch 94 comprises a mutilated pinion 97 (FIG. 3) having four portions 98 deprived of teeth and angularly distanced apart 90 degrees. The part 96 comprises also a sleeve 99 (FIG. 2), bodily rotatable and axially slidable along a shaft 101 in turn rotatably mounted on a pair of flanks 100 of the machine frame. The sleeve 99 is provided with four teeth 102 (FIG. 3) angularly located in correspondence with each portion 98, and lying in the same vertical plane. The teeth 102 are adapted to be engaged by the teeth 78 of the driving part 95 simultaneously with the engagement of the clutches 56 and 57. Secured to the shaft 101 is a bevel pinion 103 meshing with another bevel pinion 104 secured to a shaft 106. This latter is connected to the shaft 26 by means of a further pair of bevel gears 107 (FIG. 1).

The sleeve 99 (FIG. 4) is provided with a groove 108 engaged by a lug 109 of a lever 110 fulcrumed on a stationary pivot 111. The lever 110 is provided with a lug 112 (FIG. 3), pin and slot connected with a lever 113 fulcrumed on a shaft 114. The lever 113 is linked with a slide 115 slidable on the machine frame and provided with a pin 116 normally urged by a spring 117 to contact a cam 118 secured to a sleeve 120 (FIG. 2) comprised in a driven part 121 of another clutch 119, the driving part 95 of which is common with that of the clutch 94.

Furthermore-the driven part 121 comprises a pinion 122 (FIG. 3) secured to the sleeve 120 and having a single portion 123 deprived of teeth. The pinion 122 and the sleeve 120 are bodily rotatable with a shaft 124, and axially slidable thereon. The sleeve 120 is provided with a tooth 126 located in correspondence with the position 123 and normally out of the path of the teeth 78 of the driving part 95. The diameter of the pinion 76 is twice that of the pinion 122.

The sleeve 120 is provided with a groove 127 engaged by a lug 128 (FIG. 3) of a lever 129 fulcrumed on a stationary pivot 130. The lever 129 is pin and slot connected with a lug 131 of a slide 132 (FIG. 3) engaging a universal bar 137 (FIG. 1) identical to the code bars 93 and adapted to be rotated clockwise from the rest position to an operated position upon setting each code combination. Furthermore, the slide 132 is provided with a lug 133 adapted to cooperate with a projection 138 of the slide 115.

The setup device operates as follows.

To set up a figure of an amount, the code bars 93 are selectively positioned according to the corresponding code combination, while the universal bar 137 (FIGS. 1 and 3) is rocked clockwise, for example either automatically under the control of signals generated by a program, or upon depressing a numeral key of a ten key keyboard, in the manner described in the U.S. Patent No. 3,306,417 of Feb. 28, 1967.

The displaced bars 93, through the slides 89 (FIG. 4) and the levers 82 and 87, selectively displace the driven parts 58 (FIG. 2) and 66 respectively of the clutches 56 and 57 to locate either tooth '63 or tooth 64 into the path of the two teeth 78 0f the corresponding driving part 73. The clutches 56 and 57 corresponding to the displaced bars 93 are thus engaged simultaneously and rotate the sleeves 62 and 67 (FIG. 4) 180 degrees. Therefore, the shaft 46 and the shaft 53 together with the two hubs 68 and the crank levers 69 (FIG. 1) are selectively rotated 180 degrees. Consequently also the eccentrics 43, 44 and 51, 52 are selectively rotated 180 degrees, thus accordingly displacing the connecting rods 48 and 54. These latter through the swing lever 42 rotate the toothed sector 37 according to the code combination of the set figure. Then the sector 37, through the toothed drum 29, rotates accordingly all the pinions 12 (FIG. 2) not yet set.

Simultaneously the bar 137 (FIG. 3) displaces the slide 132 rearwards (to the right in FIG. 3) thus rocking the lever 129 (FIG. 4) counterclockwise. The lever 129 displaces the sleeve 120 (FIG. 2) leftwards, thus bringing the tooth 126 on the plane of the teeth 78 of the driving part 95, whereby the driven part 121 (FIG. 3) of the clutch 119 starts one revolution clockwise.

The cam 118, substantially upon being rotated 180 degrees, causes the spring 117 to displace the slide 115 forwards (leftwards in FIG. 3), thus rocking the lever 113 (FIG. 3) counterclockwise. Then the lever 113 rocks the lever (FIG. 4) clockwise thus displacing the sleeve 99 (FIG. 2) leftwards, whereby the teeth 102 are brought into the plane of the teeth 78 of the driving part 95. The teeth 78 thus start the sleeve 99, which is thus rotated 90 degrees together with the shaft 101. The bevel gear 103 (FIG. 2) of the shaft 101 rotates the bevel gear 104 and the shaft 106 which, by means of the bevel gears 107 (FIG. 1), the shaft 26, the bevel gears 27 and the shaft 24, rotates the pinion 23 90 degrees counterclockw1se.

Then the pinion 23 displaces the toothed transverse portion 17 leftwards (FIG. 3), whereby the bail 11 is advanced one step leftwards. The bail 11 thus disengages the engaged pinion 12 of the highest order from the drum 29 and engages it with the positioning bar 32 in front of the first rack 21 from the right. In effect the pinion 12 is disengaged from the drum 29 soon after the end of the cycle of the clutches 56 and 57, whereas it completes its displacement after this cycle is finished and in the case the next following figure is set up immediately after the first one during the cycle of the clutches 56 and 57 relating to the next figure.

When the slide (FIG. 3) is displaced forwards (leftwards in FIG. 3), the projection 138 engages the lug 133 and restores the slide 132 bodily with the universal bar 137, the lever 129 and the driven part 121 of the clutch 119 (FIG. 2). After setting up each figure, the code bars 93 (FIG. 1) remain in the selected position, thus locking the toothed sector 37 and the pinions 12 engaging the drum 29 in the position corresponding to the last set up figure. Now if the next figure to be set up is difierent than the last set up figure, another combination is set up on code bars 93, which through the eccentrics 43, 44, 51 and 52 and the swing lever 42 brings the sector 37 from the previous position into a position corresponding to the next figure. Therefore, the drum 29 and the pinions 12 remaining engaged with drum 29, are brought into the new position starting from the previous position. If the next figure is equal to the last figure the bail 11 is displaced one ste leftwards without rotating the drums 29 or the pinions 12.

What isclaimed is:

1. A serial setup device for a calculating, accounting or similar machine having a plurality of denominationally arranged members individually settable in a position corresponding to a figure to be set up and a single actuator operable to sequentially assume positions corresponding to the various figures of an amount to be set up; said serial setup device comprising in combination:

(a) a selecting device for so operating said actuator and for locking said actuator in the position corresponding to the last set up figure until the next figure is introduced to said selecting device;

(b) mounting means for positioning said actuator in simultaneous engagement with all remaining said members not yet set up; and,

(c) traveling means for transverse relative displacement between said members and said actuator step by step to sequentially disengage said actuator from the engaged member of the highest order as each figure of an amount is set up.

2. A setup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a set of permutative code bars to selectively represent each figure to be set up and to accordingly control said selecting device and in which said selecting device comprises a motion aggregating device for accumulating motions determined by the positions of respective ones of said code bars and locating said actuator in a position related to the aggregate of said motions.

3. A serial setup device for a calculating, accounting or similar machine having a plurality of denominationally arranged pinions, each one provided with a reset cam and individually settable in a position corresponding to the figure to be set up, a register, a set of accumulating toothed members adapted to cooperate with the set up pinions to accumulate the set up amount into said register, and comprising in combination:

(a) a single toothed drum operable to sequentially assume an angular position corresponding to the various figures of an amount to be set up,

(b) a selecting device for so operating said drum and for causing same to remain each time in the pos1- tion corresponding to the last set up figure,

(c) means for mounting said drum so as to simultaneously engage all pinions not yet set up and to locate same each time in the position corresponding to the figure to be set up,

(d) and traveling means for transversely displacing said pinions step by step leftwards to sequentially disengage the leftmost engaged pinion from said drum and to locate same in front of the rightmost accumulating toothed member as each figure of an amount is set up.

4. A setup device according to claim 3, wherein said selecting device comprises in combination:

(e) a set of permutative code bars to selectively represent each figure to be set up,

(f) a motion aggregating device comprising a set of eccentrics associated with said bars and adapted to be individually rotated degrees upon displacement of the corresponding bar,

(g) and a reciprocable toothed member engaging said drum and adapted to be differentially displaced by said motion aggregating device, to positions related to the aggregate of the motions produced by rotation of said eccentrics.

5. A setup device according to claim 4, wherein said motion aggregating device further comprises:

(h) means for mounting said eccentrics in a pair of groups so as in each group at least one eccentric is rotatable around another eccentric,

(i) a pair of rods controlled by said pair of groups of eccentrics,

(j) and a lever fulcrumed on said reciprocable toothed member and provided with a pair of arms having different length and being connected to said rods.

6. A setup device according to claim 5, comprising in combination:

(k) a set of driven pinions bodily rotatable with said eccentrics and individually engageable to rotate 180 degrees,

(1) driving pinions secured to a continuously rotating shaft and adapted to engage said driven pinions,

(m) a pair of shafts parallel to said rotating shaft for coaxially mounting the driven pinions associated to each group of eccentrics,

(n) and a sliding relationship between each eccentric rotatable around another eccentric and the associated driven pinion to allow radial displacement of said rotatable eccentric and said associated driven pinion.

7. A setup device according to claim 5 further comprising:

(k) a set of clutches associated with said eccentrics and individually engageable by said bars to rotate the corresponding eccentric 180 degrees.

8. A setup device according to claim 7, comprising in combination:

(1) an additional clutch for transversely displacing said storing device,

(in) and engaging means for causing said additional clutch to be engaged with a predetermined delay with respect to the clutches associated with said eccentrics.

9. setup device according to claim 8, wherein said engaging means comprise:

(11) a further driven pinion coaxial with the driven pinions associated with the eccentrics of one of said groups,

(0) a universal bar movable from a rest position to an operated position to set up each figure of an amount to engage said further pinion with one of said driving pinions simultaneously with the driven pinions associated with said eccentrics, said universal bar being automaticall restored after each figure has seen set up.

(p) and a cam secured to said further driven pinion and adapted to engage said additional clutch.

10. A setup device according to claim 7 wherein said clutches rotate the corresponding eccentrics through gears comprising:

(1) a set of driven pinions connected to said clutches and each having a pair of diametrically opposite mutilated portions deprived of teeth;

(m) continuously rotatable driving pinions for said driven pinions normally facing mutilated portions of said driven pinions whereby upon engagement of a respective clutch a toothed portion of a driven pinion is brought into engagement with a driving pinion which rotates said driven pinion until the opposite mutilated portion is encountered.

11. A setup device according to claim 10 wherein said clutches comprise:

(n) a pair of starting elements secured to each one of said driven pinions in an angular position corresponding to said mutilated portions and axially mutually offset and (0) at least a counterelement secured to each one of said driving pinions axially located in the plane of a respective one of said starting elements, each said counterelement being adapted to engage said one of said starting elements to synchronously start the rotation of a respective driven pinion.

12. A setup device according to claim 11 further comprising a set of linkages connecting each one of said code bars with a corresponding driven pinion so as to axially shift said corresponding driven pinion upon movement of the corresponding code bar whereby the starting element secured to said corresponding driven pinion engages a respective counterelement as a clutch function.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Gassino 23560 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner S. A. WAL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 23561 

